


Violet Liqueur

by ZAkara



Category: Original Work
Genre: "weird kinks", ABO, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Asexual Character, Assassination, Attempted Murder, Cannibalism, Forced Cannibalism, Human Trafficking, Isolation, M/M, Multi, Murder, Omega Verse, PTSD, Protective Alpha, Serial Killers, forced murder, no one is sane, sadistic personality, some bdsm vibes, someone's going to snap, very unstable omega
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2020-10-17 07:46:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20617469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZAkara/pseuds/ZAkara
Summary: Severian has many issues, all of them help him survive.A twist of narcissism, sadistic personality, and ptsd. What could possibly go wrong? The world is unforgiving and ruthless, quick to swallow one up and move on to the next, once one falters on being entertaining.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I'm starting a new brain baby. He's been needing his own book for a while, and I'm finally sitting down to do it. This is subject to some heavy editing since it is in the beginning stages. 
> 
> I'm here, and I'm hungry for some chaos.
> 
> This has been heavily, heavily edited since it's original publication. I'm sorry to make you re-read bits, but I think it's much better off. comments and kudos are always loved and encouraged~ its the only way to push me to get better >]

It felt black as pitch in the cells, but the guards never had any problems seeing. He could only track the monsters’ movements by following the sound of sheer weight lurking around. Not a single one dared to as much as breathe in fear of bringing the beasts’ attention. His lungs burned, his white knuckled fists were shaking where they clutched in his hair. Pain, cold, something: anything to keep his senses about him just enough to know that it was not okay to breathe yet. The ruthless creatures out there do not negotiate. If he could stay quiet to the point of not even breathing, just on the brink of death, maybe the monsters would turn towards another toy: if not, he would need to beg with every ounce he had. Find a way to appease them, because only hell knew what they had in store for him otherwise.

  
Metal groaned against blood stained slate. Close, too close. He couldn’t see to know for sure, but he prayed it wasn’t his turn. He did everything right. He wasn’t being a bother. A single strangled cry wheezed from his throat. His dynamic thrown in his face, mocking him. One rule, stay quiet. An omega’s instinct to beg always overruled and always made things worse. He couldn’t hiss. He couldn’t growl. He had tried, but he was just- filth of the earth- omega. A single grunt from them could render him helpless.

Floundering on the floor as submission pulsed his veins. He practically already was. His throat so dry that the squeak of pure terror barely broke a whisper. He knew they heard, and they were hungry to hear more from him. They fed on fear, sadism, and murder. Somehow he had made it this far by rolling onto his back, baring his neck, and whimpering as a lost pup. Perhaps they enjoyed that some part of him still thought that would work? Most likely- as soon as he blindly accepts his sentence- they would grow tired of him, and finish him off in the most entertaining way they could conjure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whimpering wasn’t going to get them anywhere. The incessant noise cruelly ground into its ears and carved a dull, throbbing headache through its skull. It, instead, tried to focus on the dim outline of the one it was supposed to be following: a beast of an alpha, and current handler for the day. The cages around them held a range of faces that it- he- pointedly ignored. They all looked too familiar, yet he couldn’t afford for it to sink in. He- it- needed to stay focused, it needed to do this right. The one in front of it didn’t even hesitate when they dragged a pet of choice from containment. This one was too old, used up, uninteresting: even now they- it- didn’t put up a fight. It limply hung where the trainer’s grip viced its thin shoulder. An omega, of course, this was just training, they wouldn’t trust a useless gimp near the alphas. 

It stumbled backwards as the lumbering alpha abruptly shouldered past, leading back the way they came. The annoyed beast grumbled something under its breath, its cyan irises burning into the skin of its assignment as the said assignment feverishly scrambled out of the way. It wasn’t alert enough, it wasn’t good enough at predicting movements of those around him: those kinds of things were going to get him killed. He wasn’t sure how long it had wasted grasping at the cage door behind itself. It knew his heart was pounding, and the darkness was thickening around it. Those glowing alpha irises swiveled back towards it. A curt, demonic command to follow echoed in the metal laced hallway. Its legs were forced to take its weight then. It followed the monster back towards the end of the hall, while barely having a grasp on what was going on around it.

  
“Don’t make me repeat myself.” the gruffness of a shifting alpha frosted its blood. It found itself standing in a playroom with the omega limp on the slate floor, and the towering trainer expectantly holding out a straight blade. 

  
“How...” the question stayed behind grit teeth. It didn’t trust its to not betray it. It would crack under the weight, it couldn’t afford for that to happen. It would be a sign of weakness. 

“Slow.” the other’s growl resinated in its chest, the walls of the room seeming to buckle under the deadly control of the command. The blade’s weight was foreign in his hand. His better mind reeled and his heart pounded in his chest. The air thickened, his throat mercilessly pinched. Monster, he- it- was nothing more than a monster to the omega on the floor. Don’t apologize, he screamed in his own head, it never apologizes. It’s doing the little one a favor. In a way, it is jealous of the omega. 

The omega will leave this place, as filth of the earth: ground up and used as manure. Exactly as it deserves. By going through with this, it’s doing everyone a favor. It should be enjoying this. The omega will become fertilizer, and take on another life: far from this impious affair.

Skin, as fragile as it seemed, refused to split. It’s hands were shaking from the struggle to draw blood, let alone take a life. The omega had long since accepted his fate. Laying there, eyes blank and breaths shallow, as the fledgling monster struggled to become what it needed to be.

  
“I know I said slow, but today Eleven-thirty two.” time was running out for the both of them. Once the handler becomes agitated, everything goes to shit! It reshifted the weighted blade in its palm. He wished he didn’t notice that the dull, abused edges of the knife were still stained with past victim’s blood. Everything in its chest felt like it was about to burst out. Lungs struggling for a full breath, heart stuttering and ready to just collapse into itself.

  
He’s never killed before. He never thought of it, never wanted to do it. Even though the creatures lurking in the dark were mortal, despite what they had become. He never once thought of lashing out to kill one. What had the omega done? 

Nothing! He was a victim in this just like he-

“Kill it. Or I kill you.” the final warning sounded, snapping the fledgling out of his stumptor. Don’t apologize, monsters don’t apologize. It pressed the point of the blade to the omega’s throat, and prayed its body weight would do the work. The smaller let out a heart shattering squeak, but his strength had long been spent. It barely struggled to breathe around blood. The frail body grew still, splayed on the deeply stained slate. Eleven-thirty two shook as it watched the life leave those bloodshot eyes. The moment he passed, it was like looking down at a different thing altogether. No pain, reactions, thoughts: just an abused, porcelain doll made to look eerily too human.

  
The panic that had threatened to overtake it drained as it realized that the toy was done with its body. They could literally do anything to it now, and nothing would care. No pain, no ear rattling screaming: just a trinket. It had made a novelty for a twisted pet. Curiosity got the best of it, pulling the blade from its place in the omega’s trachea. It could feel those cyan eyes watching it as it considered experimenting, familiarizing itself with… this kind of play. The perspective of flaying skin from muscle seemed so much easier now. Now that the nerves from earlier were depleted. 

Wounds from the dead don’t bleed. It never thought it would be disappointed in that fact. The budding monster worried its lip as it regarded its mentor. That must be why they want the others to break. They can have the beauty that comes with bleeding, but without giving up the peace that comes with death. The queen loves blood, so her entertainment needs to be alive. It’s their job to make sure she never grows bored. True pastimes of hell arise when she’s bored. 

Its curiosity was cut short by the alpha’s curt command. It stood at attention, its muscles still quivering with adrenaline from what had just happened. It just killed someone. Why wasn’t it feeling remorse? Was it because it was trying to survive? Why would it want to survive in hell’s asshole? It had just missed a solid chance of leaving this place. 

No, that’s not what he wants. He’s become demonic and twisted, but boiled down, each of them are just trying to survive. Clawing to the top of the food chain might be the only chance he gets for having a borderline tolerable life. 


	2. Sven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still kind'a open for editing, but this is what I've got so far. Feel free to rage in the comments about anything you find.  
(pst, if you haven't seen the edits on the previous chapter, I highly suggest going to check it out)  

> 
> I'm just going to put a blanket trigger warning on this work, honestly. It's super dark in the start, and throughout the bits I currently have planned.

He became acutely aware of how disgustingly filthy he was once his room’s door was closed behind him. The darkness didn’t bother him anymore, that had stopped being an issue long ago. The itch of filth, however, was ever pestering. There was no way of cleaning off. His room was just a cell with slightly more space. The floor was dirt covered despite his best efforts of clearing a space. Somewhere under the filth was slate, he was sure. The walls were rough under his calloused palms as he slid along in the darkness towards the back wall of the containment. 

Until next time, he figured. One day they may forget about him, leave him to die in here. It wouldn’t be pleasant by any means, but it wouldn’t be the worst death to cross in these halls. Hunger wasn’t as painful as it used to be. His body had accepted that it would eat when it was fed, there was no use in crying out. It never worked, it was only a sign of weakness. 

He actually killed someone today. 

The sentence replayed in his head for what felt like hours. Everytime the scene danced across his mind’s eye, the adrenaline would spike in his veins. He forced his breaths to come short, he needed to find a way to get a grasp on himself. If this place is anything like how he’s learned- this wasn’t going to be the last time a day like this comes to pass. Were they training him to be an entertainer for Kisaki herself? 

He’s heard so much about the Queen: how to address her, what kinds of tastes she has, and how fortunate he was she had taken an interest in him. Yet, not once has he seen her with his own eyes. Kisaki was in love with the idea of him- and he was being molded into her image of him. Eleven-thirty two as he was called, was nothing more than a novelty of hers. The only thing he could do was not break in the process. How the hell was he going to pull that off?

For now the corner felt safe. The room was deathly silent, shy of his own breathing and pounding heart. It was impossible to be sure that he was here alone, but so far he hadn’t been bothered by any roommates. If they are here: they’re most likely dead. He knew the corner, the corner was safe. Here’s to hoping he’d be able to catch some sleep without seeing the scene in its head… over and over again. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Footsteps from down the hallway had his attention long before he could hear the keys rattling. So they decided to come back for it? Pressing against the mortared wall as a way to compensate for his leg that had fallen asleep, it glared in the direction of the doorway. Daring whatever was on the other side to come in. 

“Come on, it’s time to eat.” the handler’s voice had a touch of natural insanity to it. It looked every ounce of criminally unstable with twisted, greasy hair, somehow managing to be both balding and too long at the same time. Bead like eyes hungrily gawked over eleven- thirty two’s emaciated form, just barely concealed by the cloth it’s managed to keep together. The handler clicked its tongue and curled a crooked finger to summon the fledgling closer.

“Don’t you listen? It’s time to eat.” it teased with a black, rotting tongue. “Prized toy, my fucking ass.” it continued to grumble to itself, watching the fledgling as it emerged from its cell. 

“You’re a pretty one, I’ll give you that much.” the closer the fledgling got, the worse that alpha’s breath was. Sour and stomach twisting, and, of course, the owner didn’t understand personal space. 

Wait… when was the last time he had been able to brush his teeth? His breath probably smelled exactly the same. No, no- fuck. He raised his hands to cover his face, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes as the handler of the day continued to hover over him.

“Kisaki’s tastes are leaning more feminine, I see. Not that I’m going to complain. You ever get bored, just ask for Sven.” The smug, lewd grin on the demon’s face brought bile to the back of his throat. Just when he thought it was almost over, Sven got an idea and grinned wide enough to advertise just how many teeth had rotted out of his skull.

“Know what? What’s your number? I might just come on down here for yeh.”

Unsure if it was the question of the utter disgustingness that was this fuck’s existance that caused it, but bile clogged the back of his throat, rendering it impossible to answer, even if he wanted to. The two stood in a drawn out silence. The alpha clearly growing more agitated as time bled. 

“Listen here, you little fuck toy.” dark spittle landed on his face, accenting the demon’s words. “I don’t know what kind of superiority complex this whole honor of training has given you. Don’t be mistaken, you’re still the fucking filth of this earth. You will submit to me.” the alpha tipped its head, blatantly regarding the fledgling’s body once again.

“I’ve been nothing but a gentleman to you.” it tsked, snorting through its half missing nose. “From here on it’s just business, I’m here to make sure you eat, not to make sure you enjoy it.”

Spindly, claw like fingers grasped the fledgling’s hair, ripping him off balance, and nearly dragging him down the too familiar hallway. This was the first time it’s been brought out of its cell for feeding. Perhaps it was finally moving up in ranks, more than likely, this demon had other ideas in its head in terms of food. 

The sour pang of spoiled meat was inescapable in the cooking quarters. Still off balance, with its scalp on fire from its hair being pulled, it slid to its knees. It stomach churned when it saw what it had slipped on, or it should say the remnants of what it had slipped on. Smeared jelly like, opaque tissue, ruptured in a puddle of blood tainted ooze clung to his bare foot. Instantly his mouth watered with the warning of nausea. Its empty stomach no longer comfortable with the acid it contained. 

It was dragged to the side of the long seating arrangements. The metal table was stained with filth, only hell knowing when it was last wiped down. Slate flooring of the mess hall was no better. Rotten scraps squashed beneath the fledgling’s knees, the eye watering stink nearly causing him to black out. 

How long it knelt there felt meaningless. Every ounce of strength it had was focused on keeping itself together. The room spun, voices rumbled too loudly in its ears, and the ever present putridity of this place bored a hole through its resolve. Those spindle fingers teasingly ran the length of the back of its neck. Everything in it tensed, a growl- smothered by rancid acid- stuck in its chest. As if it could dissuade such a prudent demon, the fledgling’s lips curled back into a rictus snarl. 

The grasp hardened around its throat. It was forced to bare its neck as claws dug into its chin to wrench its face into the view of the demon. Its breaths came in shallow wheezing gasps, barely able to squeeze past the demon’s hold. 

“What do you think you’re gonna do?” its foul breath washed over its face. It wanted to scream. It couldn’t through its pinched airway, breathing was too much of a struggle to keep up for long. 

“You’re into this, aren’t you?” Sven’s voice dropped an octave, its unforgiving hold cinching tighter. No, the fledgling’s eyes were watering, its teeth bare where its mouth hung open in a vain gasp for air. Sven watched with amusement dancing in its beady eyes. Specks began to fuzz the fledgling’s sight. Tears it could never control washed trails down its filthy cheeks. Sven was going to kill it, and he had no power to stop it. His shaking hands had long since started clawing at the demon’s wrists and holds, but the handler barely even noticed his efforts. 

“Kisaki wouldn’t be too happy if you killed her new project.” a voice from somewhere else in the mess hall brought an unamused scowl to Sven’s once awed face. 

“Just’ having a bit of fun.” Sven snapped back. After another beat, Sven shoved the fledgling to the floor with a fauxly disinterested huff. He gulped for air, shoulders quaking with the intensity his lungs hoarded breath. 

His forehead rested on the backs of his hands, his body slumped haplessly on the muck of the floor. He didn’t have the strength to push himself back up for a long moment. Even as a few stubborn tears rolled down his face, he needed to breathe. He needed to catch his breath before that demon decided to pull something like that again. 

“Eat.” Sven kicked at his leg with enough force to bruise. Eleven-thirty two obediently raised its head. The bowl forced into its sight was something from a fevered fueled nightmare. The stench of red bile soup assaulted his senses, its body rejecting it instantly by gagging on its own tongue. It clearly wasn’t obeying prompt enough for the short tempered Sven by the way the alpha gripped the back of the fledgling’s hair. 

“Is there something wrong with the command?” it growled hollowly. Every fiber in its body was begging for this to stop, it didn’t want to know what was used to make that vile concoction. Sven’s toothless grin widened devilishly. It saw an opportunity to play, and it was going to take every advantage of it.

“You did a good job yesterday.” the praise was maniacal coming from Sven’s voice. Eleven-thirty two struggled against the alpha’s hold, fire burning at the roots of its hair from being ripped. 

“Slaughtering our food, like a good little pet.” the handler’s purr devolved into a hiss of enjoyment. Fledgling’s blood froze in place. As desperately as it wanted to run out, it couldn’t get enough leverage to pull itself free from Sven’s iron hold. 

Blood dripped over its chin, the handler’s clawed thumb wedging between its teeth to keep its mouth open. The thick bile tasted horrible. It’s throat constricted, and its stomach lurched to reject the rotting substance. 

This was to be its food. It would rather starve, slow and painful, than to subject itself to this. As soon as Sven dropped the now empty bowl of slop to the floor, its hand clamped around the fledgling’s mouth. 

“Keep it down,” the demon’s unbearable voice hissed in its ear. Its body refused the command as violently as it had the strength for. The sour bile coated its tongue, burned its throat, but Sven wouldn’t release its hold on its face. The fledgling’s eyes bugged from its head, internally begging for its body to not choke. Sven didn’t understand the absolute vileness of what it had just done. Or- it did, and it didn’t care. Sven was amused, and that was all that mattered. 

“Keep it down, I said!” it continued to smirk. Eleven- thirty two was certain it was going to choke on its own vomit: die right there, drowning in blood. 

“Remember what I said earlier, about Kisaki?” the same one that spoke up earlier saved it again. The fledgling’s face hit the filthy slate, rattling its teeth at impact. Its stomach wasted no time retching the bile from itself. Eleven-thirty two found itself blinded from pain and shivering from panic fueled adrenaline. It spit profusely, trying to get as much of the taste out of its mouth as possible. 

They can’t be serious, this can not be how they are living down here! 

Sven wasn’t the one to bring the fledgling back to its containment. He was too shaken to even care to get a glance at the one walking him down the hallway with a giant hand deceivingly gentle on the curve of his scruff. Who ever they were never once raised their voice, and they seemed to be walking at a more forgiving speed. Eleven-thirty two just hoped that Sven was an outcast, one of the most brutal, but not all of them were as bad as it. 

Sven also had threatened to personally come down for him.

The darkness of his room was welcoming. The pitch was familiar. The roughness of the wall under his forearm as he shuffled forward was reassuring in a twisted sort of way. He crumpled in the back corner, the same one he always curled up in. His mouth still watered from nausea, and his stomach felt sore as if someone had punched him. With every breath was the festering reminder that he was caked in sickness and whatever was rotting on that floor. Filthy, absolutely filthy and helpless to do anything about it. He hated it, he hated everything about this place. If they were trying to break him, they were quickly succeeding. 


	3. Alex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. I'm not dead.
> 
> As I rambled on before I've restarted school, and the class/work schedule is hellish at best. Between the last update and now this is literally all that I've been able to write (not edited so apologies ahead of time). I love my Severian, it just really doesn't look like I do right now. 
> 
> Trigger warnings continue on, with the added of implied rape. So there's that...   
Sorry for the long delays, and thank you- thank you for waiting so patiently~ <3

“Hello?” the weak voice cut through the silence. He bristled, staring out into the darkness, willing his weaker senses to make out whatever was in the pitch.

“Can … you talk?” the voice shook, clearly growing unsure of itself as time dragged. Could he? He hadn’t tried in a while, his voice was probably gravely and disjointed from disuse. What would he even say?

“I… he... “ he tried, swallowing down whatever had decided to take up residence in his vocal cords. “Hello?” Someone was here with him! That’s never happened before? Why would they put two in the same cell? Did that handler bring him to the wrong room? Fuck, that means that they’ll be coming to fix the mistake soon enough- he was hoping to have a few hours of quiet, at least. 

“Do you know what they want with us?” the voice sounded like it belonged to an omega, a higher pitched man, but that could just be his nerves. 

“Entertainment.” he replied through a grunt, unsure if it was understandable to the other. They shared an unnerving silence, the monster curled in what he thought was his corner, and the stranger somewhere out in the dark. 

“Think we can get outta here?” the stranger was clearly grasping for hope. “There’s two of us, we can totally take whoever comes to that door.”

“Only way out of here is death.” Eleven-thirty two didn’t bother sugar coating the fact. The strangled sob of the stranger should have pulled at its heartstrings, but it figured that the stranger would just have to accept the fact sooner or later. 

“Not true.” his voice hardened pathetically between squeaks. “I’m getting out. I’m not broken, they aren’t going to break me!” The stranger’s ragged breathing was too loud in the cell. It leaned harder against the rough wall, wishing it could just rest. The taste of the one it murdered still in its mouth, and nothing to rid it with. Wrong cell, it internally growled, so they aren’t done with it for the day, yet.

“What’s your name?” the incessantly blubbering idiot continued.

“That’s a dangerous question.” it reflexively snarled. Is that what this was? Just another test from the handlers. No, he hadn’t forgotten, it is Eleven-thirty two. Nothing else, no other name. It’s long lost his name when we walked into this place. 

_ Walked. _ Screaming, thrashing, struggling: tased to be subdued, dragged into this hell by the strained roots of his hair. 

“You don’t want to die being known as some  _ number, _ do you?” the stranger pressed further. “I’m Alex.” 

It  _ was _ a handler. It had to be- only they had enough nerve to speak their names. Unaccountably demonic enough to be deemed a fucking asset. Or,  _ Alex _ is just a fucking idiot that doesn’t know the rules of this place. 

“Please,  _ I  _ need an ally in this. There’s… there’s gotta be someone  _ sane _ left in here.” The kid was broken. Despite how desperately he held onto the illusion he still had it together, he was mentally shattered. 

“Eleven-thirty two.” He growled under his breath. “Sometimes... “ he dragged a steadying breath, “Used to be called, Severian.” The fear of saying his name aloud nearly rendered his voice inaudible. Alex sniffed, his weak voice complementing the sound of Sev’s name. Severian was a monster now, it didn’t deserve a name. It’s just a broken toy in the basement of a sadist. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As much as he wanted to forget about Alex, he couldn’t. The omega, that he just spent the night in the same cell with, had gathered enough strength to find where Sev had curled up. He woke to the cell’s door being opened, and the unfamiliar weight of another pressed against his side. 

“Up.” it was that beast of a handler again. The one that had forced him to kill the omega before. The fledgling jolted up, causing the other to crumple onto the floor, and scraping it’s arm on the mortared wall as it tried to right itself. The handler didn’t bother with acknowledging how the two had spent the night, instead grunting for it to follow, so the fledgling stumbled forward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was no explanation as to what was going on, or what was expected of it. The halls were out of place, compared to the rest of the facility. An underwhelming white was painted over mortared walls, and the tone of the floor matched almost seamlessly. The air was progressively becoming more steril, taking on a different breed of unnerving. The handler lead it through the maze, each step strengthening the scent of alcohol, or was that bleach?

It squinted its dark adjusted eyes, struggling in the brightness, and realized too late that the handler had stopped walking. It stumbled into the beast’s side, earning a grunt of annoyance and a harsh shove. It slammed against the wall, its comparatively petite body crumpling under the handler’s strength.

“Now, now. Don’t vant to kill ‘em yet.” a singing voice clicked his tongue. The amber toned man smiled in a way that was deceivingly warm. 

“Its all yours.” the beastly handler snorted, not bothering with a second glance towards the fledgling. 

“Sure, ‘ve have a couple ideas, but Kisaki has such an interest in you, little bug.” the scientist fixed his glasses higher on his nose, his dark eyes lacking light behind them. “Come, I need you to do a few things.” 

The fledgling stumbled over his own feet trying to tail after its new handler. It didn’t have a good grasp of its surroundings at first, until the scent of fresh blood found its nose. The scientist had something, someone?, strapped down on a metal gurney. They were a mess of dissected flesh. Blood running ruby and abundant over the edges of the table, worn leather bits keeping the corps in place. The fledgling’s stomach churned, its sight narrowing as it couldn’t look away from the carnage. 

The corps moved. Struggling against the binds on its own, the corps was still alive. The fledgling hit the floor hard. It remembered the piercing pain that shot through its knees. After that, was a sudden darkness. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn’t entirely sure of what was going on around it. At least two voices were arguing. Their similar accents meshing together into one demonic voice in the claustrophobic seeming space. It couldn’t move. It wasn’t even sure of where its limbs were at the moment. It was sure its eyes were open, but nothing but pitch black glared back at it. 

In the back of its mind was the nagging dread that something just happened, that it should not have survived. The air was too thick, too sterile, yet at the same time it could  _ taste _ how much blood was in the air. 

It didn’t know it was being moved until its body slammed on the solid floor. Maybe in its blind flailing, it had managed to roll off of the table it was on? Blood dripped from its lip from the fall, limply it was slumped onto the ground, unable to force its arms to take any of its weight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The one Seth wished to protect was a mess when he walked in. He had managed to scrape together an order from Kisaki that entailed she wanted the man alive. Somehow, he was proving to have the prospects of being a good handler, despite his dynamic. The thought of such an anomaly was the only reason he was able to run to her in the first place. Eleven Thirty-two was scheduled to be murdered later today, as entertainment for the Queen. Seth had managed to convince her otherwise, just in the nick of time. Another unfortunate soul would undoubtedly take his place, but Seth had to focus on the ones he  _ could _ save. 

“ ‘Tis. all ‘ov ‘tis is ‘bullsite.” Mirza hissed as he crushed the papers in a fist. He wouldn’t act against his Queen’s words, he knew better than to do that. All Seth wanted was to get the man out of the laboratory, preferably he would be able to bring him to Seth’s quarters. At least that way he would know that the floundering victim got some decent sleep. 

“Kisaki’s orders.” Seth rumbled, lumbering over so that he could kneel near his charge’s side. He wasn’t sure why Zen had sent him for Eleven thirty-two specifically, but he was eternally grateful to her for it. All he had to do was figure out how to get him out of here alive. 

The fledgling was so light: his shoulders seemed to have the same density as twigs, his head was lagging behind on a noodle neck, and his knobby legs dragged haplessly as Seth tried to gather him in his arms. Seth couldn’t help the pitiful rumble that vibrated deep within his chest, he no longer cared that he was here to be undercover, that he had to uphold the image of being every ounce as heartless as every other handler here: the reason he was sent here was half dead in his arms. 

The disinterested grunt from Mirza was left ignored as Seth made a swift escape. He had to bring the fledgling back to his cell, but as soon as open hours come around, he was going to run down there and hide him away for the night. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was strangely nice to be set down so gently. The world never fully stopped swaying around it, but it had a better grasp on itself than earlier. The cold slate flooring almost came as a relief to its senses. It was something familiar, something safe. He had made it back to his cell. As soon as the darkness of the door closing overcame the room, the newly acquired roommate hissed something from between his teeth. 

“I can’t fucking believe you’re still alive.” Alex still stuttered but he had managed to get a few words strung together. 

“It hasn’t been that long.” the fledgling slurred, half annoyed, half amused. 

“It’s been a week!” Alex squeaked, “What happened?” He didn’t actually know. It only seemed like a day, two maybe, but a week trapped in that laboratory? What  _ did _ they do to him?

“Severian. Listen, I found a way to get out of here.” Alex squeaked his enthusiasm, “We both can actually get out of here!” The fledgling was still laying haplessly on the floor, but he tipped his head to better hear the other idiot’s plan. An uneasy dance of eels coiled in his stomach, this kid may be onto something, or he’s about to get the both of them killed.

“The cook here says he can help us.” Alex started, whatever hope Severian had shattered. Alex was a sheep to the slaughter, there was no way he knew what kinds of things that  _ cook _ prepared upstairs. 

“You realize they are cannibals here… right?” the fledgling choked, his tongue heavy in his mouth. “You’ll be murdered.”

“That can’t actually be true! People are released all the time-” the sound of the other’s frail body dragged across the slate, seeming to want more distance between himself and Sev.

“The omega’s don’t come back. Doesn’t mean they’re alive somewhere.” Severian bit his cheek to keep from puking as the vision of his first kill danced in his mind: the very omega he was forced to  _ eat _ staring blankly at the cobweb lace ceiling. 

“You’re cynical.” the other spat.

“Not exactly a bad trait to have.” the fledgling muttered, rolling to his side and hoping that he could get more function out of his limbs. His mind was still sluggish from whatever drug that madman had pumped into him. Weakly, and not nearly as coordinated as he would have liked, he managed to drag himself across the filthy slate into his corner of the cell. 

“When I get out of here, I’m going to come back with an army.” Alex spoke with a level of conviction that was almost refreshing to hear. “All of us are getting out of here, and that bitch that calls herself ‘queen’ is going to be publicly executed!” Severian couldn’t help the little smile that cracked his numb lips, Alex’s words felt more like a child’s belief in Santa Clause than anything that could actually happen. Regardless, might as well let the kid have his dreams. 

Eleven-thirty two was nearly asleep, curled on his side with his head resting on his arms. The quiet was abruptly interrupted by the sound of the door’s lock being fiddled with. Someone had gotten the key from the hall guard, someone wanted one of them as entertainment for the night. The fledgling bit against the whimper that wanted to wheeze from his dry throat. Alex let out a shuddering sob before being able to muffle himself. 

That stench was unmistakable. That corrupted, rotting alpha Sven leaned into the room, his outline barely illuminated by the dim, flickering ceiling lights. His shimmering red irises glittered in the struggling light, his jaggedly toothless grin curling across his deeply wrinkled face. 

“Eleven-thirty two. There you are.” it smiled wider, the named fledgling curled tighter on himself. He would give almost anything for this freak to just leave him alone!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sven’s room was every bit of a mess as the alpha was. The fledgling fumbled across the floor where he was shoved into the space. The carpet was wet under his palms, the black, filthy fluid sopping up between his digits and soaking into his minimalist clothes. 

“The first good place you’ve had in a long while, isn’t it?” the alpha chirped proudly, seemingly unaware of the wet sloshing under his booted feet. “ Strip, I’ve something more fitting for you to wear.” Severian had pushed himself up onto his haunches, making as little contact with the floor as he physically could. When he didn’t move as quickly as Sven wanted him to, he found himself with a clawed hand around his throat and a very malevolent red glare.

“Strip, or I’ll do it for you.” it snarled, its claws digging into the last remaining soft flesh of Severian’s undernourished throat. Mercifully, Severian was dropped, and he made quick work of peeling off his torn, practically unusable outfit. 

Whatever outfit Sven had in mind was obviously forgotten about. His cracked, calloused fingertips brushed up his rib cage. Bile promptly stung the back of his throat, his eyes screwing shut as Sven leaned in closer to him. 

“You’re so pretty.” it hissed with foul breath. No, no, no, no- Severian thrashed his head, his weakened arms pressing against the alpha’s advancing spindly arms. 

“You best start behaving.” it growled, grabbing Severian’s jaw and arching his head up so that it could easier kiss Severian’s unwilling lips. The fledgling braced himself, and bit into the beast’s lips. With a screech, Sven ripped himself away, and landed a solid punch to Severian’s temple. The room spun for a moment, just enough for Severian to realize that he had fallen to his side, and that his face was now soaked in the mystery vile soup that was that alpha’s floor, before succumbing to the pounding of what may have been a concussion. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Doesn’t matter, you’ve gotta put ‘em back when you’re finished! Do you even realize the hell I just went though to find the little fuck?” that was the well built handler screaming, the disconcerted scoff of Sven reminded Severian of where he was. 

He had been moved was the first thing he realized. The searing pain of his muscles was the next. Bruises he didn’t remember earning littered his arms, his bare legs were smeared with filth, bruises, and abrasions that would undoubtedly turn into infection. Painfully slowly, he took on the arduous task of lifting his head, finding those cyan eyes locked onto him.

“You realize I gotta show him to Kisaki today, right? The fuck were you even thinking?” the muscle bound handler had managed to look even more displeased than he normally does. 

“Hose ‘em off- till’ be fine.” Sven threw its arms in the air, clearly making a mockery of what the other was trying to say. 


	4. 'Eni

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first bit of fluff for this story~
> 
> Hello my Ninjas~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He wasn’t very lucid as the handler dragged him down the hallways. Even then, he knew he hadn’t seen this part of the building before. Severian was dragged up the staircase more than he was able to keep his legs beneath himself. The floor opened up into a grand hallway, cyan blue and white marble coated the floor and the walls. Grand arches laced with gold and lapis supported quartz ceilings. This didn’t even have the air of where they had just crawled out of, where was he being brought?

Two women, surrounded by doting servants, sat in a lavishly bare grand hall. One had vigilato skin, her hair twisted into fine, black and white braids. The other had an ornate mask that covered the majority of the right of her face and the lower part of her jaw. Their eyes hungrily scraped over his skin, he could feel their judgement as they approached.

“So this is it?” the vigilato raised a brow, leaning cheek on hand. 

“Looks like you put him through a cement tumbler.” the other commented flatly. 

“Has a bit of a stench, am I wrong?” her dark eyes held a glint from the giggle she smothered behind her hand, the woman in the mask nodding with a squint in her only visible eye. 

“Tobi, be a dear.” the giggling woman waved her hand. Severian continued to me lurched forward. The handler dragged him across the cold foyer, opened the main doors, and let in the blizzard that was outside. Severians lungs arrested immediately, his very nude frame made all the more apparent as ice pellets assaulted his flesh. 

He wasn’t ready for the hollow, glowing eyes of feral alphas. Along the borders of the path, chained to spikes in the ground, were fully shifted, emaciated alphas. Their mouths foamed as the sight of the two. Their jerking movements clearly a lunge for an attack, held at bay only by frozen cord. 

Severian didn’t think the hose that “Tobi” had picked up would actually work in this cold. He was wrong, the powerful, ice laced blasted against his senses and - he swore- tore skin from bone. His scream was lost in the wilderness, and Tobi didn’t even flinch as it maneuvered Severian to rinse off all parts of his abused flesh. 

He didn’t remember how he got back into the building. Everything hurt, nothing moved when he tried to command his limbs. The blue lapis inlaid floor glared up at him, voices chittered around him with an air of amusement. The two queens were inspecting him, it seemed. 

Tobi ripped his head up into view by the roots of his hair. Severian didn’t have the strength to resist. The masked woman was closer now, not quite kneeling by him, just bent at the waist with her head tipped childishly to the side. 

“I expected such a highly spoken of toy to prettier.” she decided after a silence.

“It’s proving to be a good candidate for a handler.” Tobi commented flatly.

“That could be useful for public relations, but we need exports, not new hires.” the farther woman thrilled. “Unless you know of a handler we need to end?” 

“Just thinking of public relations, but as you wish, I will shift it’s training accordingly.” Tobi released Severian’s hair, letting him collapse back onto the tile. 

“No, it’s fine. It doesn’t have the body type that sells- would be a boring breeder.” she fixed a stray braid, glancing over a tray that was offered to her.

“Perhaps it could be our discount variety?” the masked woman quirked playfully- earning a light laugh.

“Discounted meat, perhaps.” the visibly smiling woman plucked a morsel from the tray, and with a flick of the wrist sent the servant away. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severian has never been happier to see his cell. Tobi shoved him forward, not sparing a second glance as it closed and locked the door. The usually cold slate felt _ warm _ under him, eliciting him to drunkenly nuzzle into the filthy mud in a vain hope to defrost. 

“Oh, my god.” Alex dashed forward, his palms searingly hot against his bare shoulders. “Are they trying to kill you?” the other omega sloppily dragged Severian up into a hold. The two curling against each other as Severian didn’t have any strength to resist. 

“We can go to the kitchen together, we can get out of here.” the other was promising in his ear. “I’ve got a good feeling about this.” 

“You’re such an idiot.” Severian mumbled drunkenly since he had long since lost all feeling in his lips. They stayed as a ball in the middle of the containment, long after Severian ultimately lost consciousness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He shouldered his way down the hallway, his red rimmed irises allowing him to see in the annoyingly dark chasms. Last night that slimy bastard Sven got ahead of him, not tonight. Tonight, he would knock all remaining teeth out of that snake’s head if he had the nerve to show his face. Severian was his main reason for being here, the only reason he stepped foot in this shit hole to begin with. 

Doesn’t matter what that bitch Kumori thinks she is, she isn’t going to get away with torturing _ his _ fiancee. 

Severian’s cell mate must have been taken by someone for the night, because the smaller, lithe man was alone, curled pathetically on the floor. Seth’s heart jumped into his throat. The fear of his love already being dead overwhelmed him. He scrambled forward, pulled Sev up onto his lap and curled protectively over him. This was the first time the two have been alone since Seth found him, he wanted nothing more than to press countless kisses into Severian’s abused flesh and whisper unspeakable promises of revenge into his ears. Severian was so cold that his lips were blue, and he bonelessly hung from Seth’s supporting arms. He wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be dead. Seth wouldn’t let him go now that he finally had the man back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seth had Severian wrapped in the thickest fur he could find. The beastly, dusk skinned alpha had yet to set the smaller down. Seth sat on the edge of the king bed, his dark chocolate eyes never lifting from Severian’s ghoulishly shadowed face. He didn’t look like the same man that Seth had fallen in love with long ago, but his scent was unmistakable, even under the stench this place had cursed him with. 

Seth knew, despite how much he wanted to, he couldn’t just leave with Severian. Trying to run out of this place with one of Kisaki’s toys was a death sentence. They would both be shot before they made it to the property line. 

Hushing nonsense, Seth had what could be mistaken as a purr rolling in his chest as his broad hands smoothed under the fur lining of Severian’s blanket. His skin was finally starting to resemble the warmth of a living being. As the color returned to his features, the stark contrast of the dark bruising was all the more apparent. Seth’s proud, beautiful love looked as if he had been used as a living pinata. Severian had lost so much weight, he was afraid that he may accidentally break him in half. Seth was a soldier, broad chested and tree trunks as arms, his love never really measured up in size, but it had never been _ this _ drastic before. 

Severian was understandably dazed when he first started to wake up. That panic stricken artery running the length of Severian’s neck visibly pulsed as his violet, dilated eyes tried to take in the surroundings. 

“_ Eni. _” Seth rolled his voice, bracing the panicking man securely against his chest. “‘Ve ‘ztill, Eni, I’ve gotten you.” Severian didn’t calm, his desperation to escape seemed to only worsen. Once those barely audible squeaks of begging started to wheeze from the other’s throat, Seth stood to set the struggling man down on the bed. Seth’s voice never silenced, nor did he raise his voice despite not realizing he kept slipping back and forth between English and Arabic dialects. 

Severian wrangled himself out of the fur cocoon he had been hidden away in. He didn’t realize the far edge of the bed was as close as it was until he landed with a solid thud onto the thinly carpeted floor. Because of the defeated yelp that erupted from Severian’s throat, Seth feared that he had seriously injured himself this time. 

The alpha rounded the bed faster than the smaller was prepared for, Severian clawed backwards until his back jammed against the solid side table. His violet eyes held no recognition, his rictus snarl was mute, and his hands were splayed out in defensive claws. 

“_ Zeverian. _ ” Seth’s knees nearly buckled from under himself. “Babe, _ Eni _. Look at me. It’z me.” There was no light in Severian’s eyes. Whatever they had done to him, his once vibrant spirit didn’t survive. As much as he hoped to find recognition in his fiancee’s face, none ever came. Severian had no idea who Seth was. 

“Go on, and rinse off.” Seth pleaded, “ ‘Ze room is right over ‘zere.” The trembling man stared as if he wasn’t sure of what was being said to him. Sev seemed to notice his nudity, his bone thin fingers dropping to cover himself as petrified pupils dilated to the point that only a sliver of the violet was visible. 

“Come.” the alpha accidentally edged a command. He couldn’t stop from wincing at the way the other’s body reacted to it. Ever so carefully, Seth let his arm wrap around Severian’s sunken waist like he had a thousand times before. The two walked into the lavish shower room, bottles of soaps and thick towels already laid out at the ready. 

“I remember how you are with your ‘shovers.” the alpha promised huskily, “Go on, we’ll eat afterward.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to thank you guys for being so good at putting up with me during the semester. Midterms are coming up soon (of course) but after that is a Winter break, so I should be able to get some writing in and have a little bit of normalcy back. Maybe. We'll see. 
> 
> Until then I only have Garbage Fire's in stock <3
> 
> Feel free to rage in the comments!


	5. Snapped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really short update: but this story isn't all that popular anyway. so self-indulgent, barely edited update.

Severian held no recognition in his eyes. The reunion playing in Seth’s daydreams stayed as his own personal fiction as his fiancee cowered in the corner of the plain bathroom, quivering as little more than a skeletal ghost of what- no who- he once was. The dull stare of trauma replaced his once playful glow. That addictive laugh he constantly bubbled was fearfully gone for good. 

“Go on. Get clean and ‘varm- I’ll have z’e food ready ‘vhen you’re out.” Despite the smooth and gentle tone of Seth’s voice, he didn’t miss the sick shade Severian had become at the thought of food. 

“No meat.” Seth quickly tagged on. “Don’t ‘vorry- it’z all vegetarian.” Severian still looked as if he didn’t believe the words. With a weakly encouraging smile, Seth left the other to do his thing. The time he spent lingering in the shower’s spray was reminiscent of how things used to be. 

After what felt like an eternity, the water shut off. Seth had to keep himself from intruding into Severian’s time. Even though Seth had clothes for the man- he didn’t want to cause him any more anxiety by popping in after he originally left. 

Seth started to wonder if the bathroom door would ever open without him doing it, but Severian eventually gathered enough courage. A pink hue of warmth tinted his cheeks, which thankfully replaced that blue stain of dying. Seth found himself frozen in place out of fear of scaring his fiancee. His eyes were already the size of moons and his hands couldn’t seem to stop trembling. 

“ ‘ere, before you get ano’zur chill.” Seth tried to keep as far away from the tone of command as he could, which was harder than it should have been for him. The worry that Severian hadn’t actually had the chance to eat properly since he disappeared dripped into his voice, along with the anger towards that bitch that had caused them to be here at all. He handed over the outfit of sweatpants, t-shirt, and a thick hoodie that may or may not have been saturated with Seth’s scent. 

“‘Ze food’z on ‘ze desk. v’hen… v’hene’er you’re ready ve can eat.” His smile didn’t seem nearly as encouraging as he hoped it would be. Severian stayed uncharacteristically silent, his dilated eyes studied every twitch of Seth’s body: as if trying to read where the first strike would be coming from. 

“Please, Eni’.” Seth resorted to pleading, “Promise, I’m gonna get you out of ‘ere, just need you t’ get ’some strength back.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seth hadn’t planned on trying to escape that night, but the queen of the place seemed to have other ideas. She called for Severian to be her entertainment. She decided that she didn’t need what her Jackal was creating in Severian, so she was going to just have Sevie killed. Seth, a beastly alpha, snarled in the Jackal’s face when Tobi tried to press his way into the quarters. 

Severian balled himself in the back corner by the bed- his head covered as if he could will the nightmares away. The two alphas’ snarling split his head. Whatever thin thread that held himself together frayed to the point of snapping as the scent of fresh blood filled the air. Seth couldn’t let Tobi leave- he would tell his queen, and they’d be dead before they could reach the border. 

The two looked to be cut from the same cloth. Seth hunched over with his bulked chest seeming too heavy for his legs to support without the help of his dragging knuckles. Tobi had flesh hanging from bone, hollow eyes of an ancient, starved god boring into his prey. Tobi seemed to have forgotten about Severian, at least. His bone jaw clicked in what may have been anticipation every time he shifted his weight to better draw Seth’s blood. 

Seth couldn’t be bothered by the claw markings that tried so valiantly to pierce his thick skin. They both had gone rabid in nearly every sense. Both of the Alpha’s mindsets had centered on dominating- killing would just be a happy little accident when they were like this.

Severian only balled himself tighter, and prayed that the monsters would go away. Fighting never helped him in the past: and running wouldn’t get him as far at the door. A crack echoed in the tight room. The back bone of one of the monsters had just shattered- the creature’s heavy body slumped to the floor as the victor’s ragged breathing lingered over head. His residual growl began to taper away, the heat rolling off of the alpha’s body could be felt long before Severian dared to look up. 

The one that introduced himself as Seth looked as if he was regarding the world's most endearing kitten. His irises were still burning a clear amber from his shift, his chest impossibly broader from his unusual alpha morph. Most only developed claws, he seemed to have gained mass. 

“Let’z go.” he grunted, “And take ‘zis.” in his thick hand was a curved blade. The weapon was small, especially when compared to him, but it was sharp and easy to conceal. Severian stared dumbly up at his alpha. He couldn’t be too sure where that thought was coming from, but he knew it to be true: just like the colour of the sky and that the earth would hold him down. 

“Eni’ ‘ve need ‘t go.” 

Severian let himself be pulled to his feet with the short knife in his white knuckled fist. Leaving? Was he actually going to be able to go home?

Does he even remember what home was?

What about his cellmate… what was his name again? Gods, that idiot wanted out so badly: should he say something? Maybe they would be passing the cell anyway. Seth’s been able to open the door before.

Without being able to say a word, the air was knocked from him. Seth’s growl filled the air, followed closely by the sound of solid fists landing. Another creature- seemingly the same breed of alpha as both Seth and the jackal- was locked in fight with Seth. 

Severian could tell who had knocked him to the ground purely by scent. The pungent rot of decaying teeth and unkept bodies permeated over the lingering stench of blood this place held. Sven leaned in over his prey: his pale, sickly irises drinking in the savory sight before him. 

He didn’t even hesitate to plunge the knife into the snake’s stomach. As filthy and vile as Sven may have been, he was small for an alpha. At least, he wasn’t the worst alpha Severian had faced that day. The demon’s scream was a song in Severian’s ears. Blood ran hotly over his hands and seared adrenaline through his limbs. A feeling he could easily grow used to. Unlike the others: this prick deserved to suffer. Sven shoved himself back, grasping at the gaping wound that split his midsection. His black tongue lolled from his half toothed smile, the look of pure sadistic insanity distorted his boney face.

Severian found that the knife felt right in his hands, and that he wanted nothing more than to skin that demonic grin off of the bastard’s face. He lurched forward without a clear plan of how to proceed. Severian wasn’t even aware that Sven was long dead. The only thing to pull him out of the blood crazed state was the fact that Sven had stopped bleeding. Every cut was dry now- no longer feeding his carnal impulses. 

Then came the weight of his alpha’s eyes on him. They held something between non-recognition and understanding. Severian wasn’t the man Seth knew anymore: but he would never put the blame on Sev for it. 

No monster was more deserving than Sven.

But… Hell if the rush didn’t feel good.

Its blood was still warm on his skin. Severian’s fingers slid over the ruby liquid with a morbid glint in his eyes. Seth’s skin crawled when Sev began to chuckle. The sound was pure and clear like it had been in the past. Too close to the times outside of this hell, except instead of holding out his phone for a video, Severian held out both of his red drenched hands like a child just finished with fingerpaint.


	6. Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a really long time since I've sat down and actually worked on something. It's not anywhere near perfect but this was actually edited once.
> 
> Stay safe everyone, I'm hoping to have some resemblance of a normal schedule soon.

Rain pattered on a nearby window pane. At least, that’s what it sounded like, Severian hadn’t opened his eyes. His last memories lazily trickled into light. Blood, murder, an alpha that seemed to treat him gently: it felt as a strange dream. He could still feel the warm wet of the creature Sven’s blood sliding between his fingers, cloaking his hands and forearms like thick paint. He was so proud of himself. 

He killed a monster, and it was surreal. That little moment of amazement over what he had done. Just, this time it wasn’t a daydream or delirium. Still he expected Sven to be gawking down at him as soon as his eyes cracked open: wearing the toothless, nefarious sneer of an evil creature that barely fit into the definition of a man.

It was raining, or he was being kept in some kind of water chamber because of his deadly outlash. That’s what they wanted, wasn’t it? Him to be a killer. The queen had changed her mind- wasn’t happy with the idea of him being aggressive and demanded that his training change. It was too late to change the course now. Instead of risking the realization of his new reality- 1132 kept his eyes closed, and cautiously enjoyed that he was warm. 

Now that he was paying attention- it felt an awful lot like a bed. Experimentally, he turned his head into the fabric under himself. It gave, and it smelt flowery as a fabric softener. 

He jolted with the realization. The room’s door was closed. That was first to stick out to him: not the master suite, attached bathroom, or the fact he was laying in the center of a king sized bed. 

He wondered if the door was locked, and if he had been gifted to one of that bitch’s head alphas. “Gifted” was too lenient of a word:  _ given over to be dealt with by _ \- much more fitting.

A warm, medium toned wood stretched across the floor to meet a pale green wall. Plants in clay pots settled on ledges; a particular vine had long since weaved its way into the wood work of their stands. Severian never imagined a murderer to have such a quaint space. It looked too much like a normal home. 

The question of whether or not the door was left unlocked surged back to the forefront of his mind as a fixation. There was no sound coming from beyond the door, none that he could pick up anyway. The pattering of rain was too loud in his ears to know for sure…

Rain.

It was raining, and there was a window. Hidden behind curtains currently, sure, but- unmistakably- there was a glimpse of the outside world. Severian barely noticed that he was moving until he had already crossed the room. The black-out curtain felt rough between his fingers and smelled a bit dusty compared to the bedding. Just behind it was a partially fogged window. Water trailed down the glass, glimmering from the light of the street lamp across the way. 

Homes- there was an entire neighborhood out there. Yard after manicured yard stretched out both directions of the street. Warm, happy, quaint, and no sign of that bitch: this had to be a dream.

Maybe he was dead- was this heaven? There had to have been a mix up if it was- why else would he be in a place like heaven? Granted, hell would have been an upgrade. 

Was this the hell of soggy weather and musky curtains?

The door clicked behind him, vaulting his heart straight into his throat. The scent of alpha wafted into the room as Severian’s sight locked to the reflection of the one approaching. 

____________________

He only wanted to check in on Sev. He had convinced himself that was just going to glance in, see Severian still sleeping in their bed, and close the door. Severian wasn’t asleep. He was on the other side of the room, posed as a trapped animal. The sourest scent of fear swirled in the air. His violet eyes were wide moons. Still, he was awake,  _ finally _ , and moving around.

“ _ Eni _ .” Seth breathed, unsure of how to proceed. Severian still looked as if he didn’t remember Seth, he probably didn’t realize that he was home either. Their home, the one they picked out together, and the one Severian took control of decorating. Seth has an office, but everything else was dictated by Sev himself. 

Severian’s teeth were beginning to bare, and the scent of terror was growing more potent. He didn’t have a clue of what was going on. Seth’s heart clenched in his chest, the organ seemingly holding its breath as he watched his once future husband take on the stance of a cornered raccoon. 

“ _ Eni, please.”  _ His voice trembled, fists clenching at his sides as he tried desperately to calm his breathing. “ _ Severian, you’re home now, it’s over. _ ” 

Severian wearily watched Seth until his legs trembled from weakness beneath him, and he was forced to lean back on the window sill. They stayed at a standstill, Seth unsure how to approach, and Severian unsure of why he was even here. It was clear to Seth that the other couldn’t recognize his own home. How much of his memory was erased? They had lived here for at least five years- he wondered if Sev had any recollection of the outside world at all. Perhaps it was something that only time could help. A thought struck Seth, a slightly hopeful look crossed the alpha’s face as he opened the door wider.

“ _ Come, _ ” Seth moved back a bit, giving the other a wide girth to the hallway. “ _ I want to show you something. _ ” Severian’s breath wasn’t evening out, he still glared with the look of utter distrust. The towering alpha’s weak smile fell and his own breath stuttered. 

“ _ Eni. _ ” he choked out, resisting every urge he’s had to cross the bedroom and take his husband in his arms.

“You act like you know me.” Gears turned in Severian’s head, the fragility of his strength started to force him to sink to the floor. His arms strained to take on his weight, but he was just too weak. 

“ _ I do, I love you- even if you don’t quite remember me right now. _ ” Seth watched Severian’s struggle to stay upright, and his better judgment was losing the battle of whether or not he should approach. 

“What were you going to show me?” Severian still managed to sound intimidating, even though he looked anything but.

“ _ Your office. Where you always hid. _ ” Seth began to approach, every step brought more tension to Severian’s already strained muscles. He was going to collapse if Seth didn’t do something. 

Severian growled with every ounce of venom he had when Seth let his fingertips touch the other’s forearm. 

“ _ Come lay down, you are not yourself. _ ” Seth braved to let his other hand move Severian’s hair from his eyes. Violet orbs fidgeted up at him, no recognition- but there was a look of awe. Seth wasn’t hurting him: that was something he never would have imagined happening. 

Seth was an alpha who roamed the halls of Kumori’s playhouse. How could he not be a sadistic ogre?

“ _ Please, I’ve got dinner in the oven. Once it’s done I’ll bring it to you. _ ” The alpha sounded and scented sincere. His touch was slow, calculated. It’s like Alpha went out of his way to not spook him. 

The bed cradled him as Seth lifted his limbs into place. Severian was so thin from the toll neglect had taken on his body. He always had been thin, but once upon a time he was more muscular than lanky. A part of Seth’s brain refused to believe that he was holding his husband’s thigh. It felt and looked like an upper arm, not the meatiest part of the man’s body. 

“Whatever happened to my idiot roommate?” Severian’s voice hitched. He didn't expect it- the thought of the optimistic idiot had just crossed his mind. Why did it feel like he had lost a friend? Why would he even think of another person at this moment anyway?

“ _ I’ve still got a couple connections. Can see about getting them out too. _ ” The alpha was knelt at the side of the bed. He let his touch ghost over Severian’s exposed forearm. It felt intimate, something only a lover would do despite the innocence of the location. Severian regarded it carefully- still trying to decide if Seth was telling the truth about their apparent relationship. 

The caramel skinned alpha had walnut stained irises. His hair was cropped close to his head. It was barely enough to be considered stubble, but his hairline was still clearly visible as a line across the crown of his head. Worry tensed his strong, thick jaw, and Severian was sure that his thin lips were held in such a grimace because he was trying to hide his fangs. Then something 

within Sev reminded himself that Seth couldn’t retract his fangs any further. This was just his bloodline. 

Had Seth even introduced himself? How was Sev so confident that it was this beast’s name? There may have been something to the man’s early promise. They may actually have a history before… before-

What if that wasn’t his name?

“S….Seth?” Severian croaked. He hated how desperately he wanted to know for sure. He needed to know if this was just a false memory. 

“ _ Yes, Eni? _ ” The light in the alpha’s eyes was blinding. He perked up at the sound of the name, his name, even as it was muttered through cracked lips. That was all the confirmation Severian needed. 

“What… what does ‘ _ eni _ ’ mean?” Severian watched as the optomistic light stuttered into darkness as Seth realized what Severian was asking. 

“ _ My eyes. _ ” He took on a watery smile, his touch hungrily wrapping around Sev’s twiggy forearm. “ _ I-... it’s from… back home, Egypt. Eni is a nickname… like… baby is here. _ ” He leaned his shoulder against the side of the mattress. Thoughts clouded his mind as he stared blankly towards the side table. 

“ _ I promised long ago that I would keep you safe. _ ” Seth frowned, guilt working the tendons of his throat. “ _ I failed. If you don’t want to risk staying here with me any longer… I understand. _ ” 

“That seems a bit harsh.” Severian grunted. He blinked sleepily, hoping that he never needed to bother standing again. “You got me out of there, I owe you something for that.” 

“ _ Tea with dinner? I think it’s almost done if not burning. _ ” Seth stood, his towering height made Sev’s head swim. Seth appeared so domineering and dangerous, but his actions have been absolutely saintly- except for… If one disregards his terrifying shift and the absolute ease he tore organs from cavities in the heat of a fight, Seth seemed like a good man. 

____________________

As thankful as he was that dinner didn’t contain meat, Severian had several concerns about tofu. It was seasoned with a sticky, spicy, sweet glaze thing: but he tried to bite into it and it felt like a curdled jello. Severian’s deep set frown, as he chewed slowly, caused Seth to chuckle. 

“ _ It’s just soybeans. _ ” Seth shrugged, “ _ No need to be so dramatic. _ ” 

Severian took a long drink of his sweetened tea. 

“ _ And don’t even try eating around it, you need your protein. _ ” The alpha grinned victoriously, knowing exactly what Severian was about to do. Sev noted it as another piece of evidence that Seth had known him before that place. He wasn’t about to let the alpha have such a victory, however, and just meticulously picked out a carrot- was it a carrot? Might be a curry stained opo- and made a show of biting into it. 

Opo- definitely opo: Severian’s face squished into a grimace as the bitterness of the squash overtook his senses. 

“ _ You never did like my cooking, why would I be surprised? _ ” Seth chuckled, eating his dinner without incident. 

____________________

Severian was surprised by the fact Seth didn’t join him in bed that night when it was something an alpha would do out of pure instinct. The house was silent. Sure, it was closer to six in the morning than it was midnight, but it had been a while since he’d heard actual silence. 

Most of his nights had a backdrop of crying, pacing, even his roommate never slept through the night. He would be shuffling back and forth along the wall of the cell. Whatever he was hoping to find, he never did. Severian took a deep, stuttering breath. He was safe now. He dared to think that he was home, and that Seth would quickly go feral if it meant protecting him. He’s already proved that once. 

The rain still hadn’t let up, if the thunder was anything to go by. Even then it was little more than a low growl off in the unseen distance. The wonder of what Seth was doing bothered him. The thought of an alpha with a history of being with someone- finally reunited- not sleeping in the same bed seemed off. 

What was he doing?

Was he angry that Severian didn’t remember him?

Was he off killing someone?

Severian was feeling slightly stronger after eating, perhaps he could see if that door was kept locked. After all, if Seth was claiming to be a longing husband, why would he lock Severian into the bedroom?

Severian’s mind went back to circling around the door, and whether or not he was allowed to roam. Realistically there was only one way to find out. 

His heart was lodged in his throat, beating like a war drum in his ears as his fingertips touched the ice cold metal of the door knob. He cursed inwardly as the hinges creaked at the top of their lungs as he pulled the doorway open. Just enough for him to be able to squeeze his frame through… or run back into the bedroom- whichever wouldn’t be imminent death. The instinct to escape took over all at once. 

To his right there was a bathroom, and the only source of lighting in the hallway. A small, birdhouse shaped night light was plugged in just under the mirror of the, assumed to be, main bathroom. Severian mentally tried to convince himself that there was, logically, no one hiding behind the shower curtain- waiting for him to emerge like a video game jump scare. No one was in there, he had a clear view. Calm down, Brain.

There were two more doors, both of which closed. One immediately to his left, the other across the hallway. Seth did say something about Severian having an office, was what he was referring to behind one of those doors?

Probably, maybe- if it even exists. 

Severian swallowed as he braved the first few steps into the rest of the house. To the left, on the other, far side of the hallway, was an opening to what looked to be the main layout. If no one was home- he might be able to leave. 

He would be free to feel fresh air once again: not that he had anywhere to go. Even hidden under a bridge somewhere would be better than a remote risk of being returned to that hell. He’d live in hiding- out in some forest somewhere- if that’s what it took. 

Severian stood at the mouth of the hall, the hard wood beneath his feet had been merciful so far- none of the boards seemed particularly whiny like the door hinge earlier. Kitchen to the left, livingroom to the right. 

His attention fixed to the L-shaped couch against a wall of the living room- there was the alpha. Severian’s nostrils flared, taking in the spiced scent of Seth. He was asleep- if the slight mellowing of his scent was anything to go by. He was far too big to be sleeping there. His shoulder and arm hung over the edge, and his knuckles were on the floor beside him. One hand was up, clutching a pillow over his head as a way to thwart the ambient streetlight that penetrated the room’s fairly thin curtains.

He was asleep, actually asleep. Alpha’s hearing was so much stronger than his own, however. It would be impossible to make it out the front door, just a couple feet from his sleeping form. Severian might be able to make a break for it- but he would undoubtedly be caught before he gained any distance. 

Okay, Severian swallowed thickly, this time straining his sight over the stainless steel kitchen. A breakfast bar, complete with stools, a range under the hood lamp. A small window sat over the sink, with a little maneuvering- Sev was confident he could make himself fit through the space. Not that it would be the quietest of escapes. 

Two more doors in the kitchen, one he assumed to be a pantry, and the one with the deadbolt must have been an alternative way out. Realistically, he would have a few extra moments of running before Seth got enough sense about him for a chase. 

Or he could stay, and hope that he has the capability to be a good pet. 

Severian snuck, bare footed, across the home. He held his breath, nearly crawling backwards as he moved so that he could keep Seth in his line of sight. Fresh air would feel nice on his skin. He wondered if, despite the storm, the moon would be out to witness his efforts. Another crack of lightning lit the house, and stole Severian’s breath as he watched Seth turn over in his sleep. 

Other than that, there was no sign that Seth was waking. Maybe the storm would offer some kind of cover in it’s own way. A simple golden lock felt like it was an insult to be the only thing between Severian and freedom. He took a final steadying breath before turning the tumbler. All he had to do was open the door, and run. Even though he had nowhere in particular in mind, he wasn’t even sure where he was. Anywhere else was better if it meant away from the past. 

He threw the door open, met with the clashing of the outside storm and a piercing security alarm from within the house. Despite Severian’s blood running cold, the instinct to survive kicked in and he ran. 

Soaked grass slipped under his bare feet, thick rain pelted him, and a fence stood proudly along the entirety of the property. He didn’t care, he couldn’t afford a moment of panic, as he threw himself up the six foot privacy fence. His collision brought more noise than it did escape as he scrambled his wet limbs up the slicked wood. Eventually, with a resounding, wet splat, he fell over the top into the neighbor’s yard. 

Severian ignored that he landed hard on his knee, and forced his muddied self to stand. Seth’s panicked scent cut through the storm with its intensity: Sev wasn’t nearly far enough away. The neighboring yard, thankfully, had no fences so it was a clear shot. Sev picked a direction that kept Seth behind him, and sprinted. 

Everything was ice cold, wet, and muffled by the thunder of the raging storm. It felt dark and damning until the lightning streaked across the sky and turned the landscape into day for a few, terrifying beats. His clothes were sopping, he would need to find a way to deal with that later. If there was a train, or a bus stop, somewhere near here- they would be concerned about his attire. 

He didn’t even have socks. 

Severian made it to a clearing, waist high grass stretched as far as his limited sight could see. A forest line illuminated with the lightning, but there was nothing this way. Not a hint of civilization to be seen. 

He must have looked akin to a frightened deer as he turned to see the quickly approaching alpha. Hair and clothes soaked and slicked against his skin. Purple irises darting with urgency as he wrestled with the knowledge that a fully shifted alpha was charging him. 

Seth ran like a beast on all fours. His claws dug into the fragil, rain softened dirt beneath the grass. Sev’s stomach did flips and his scream caught in his throat. A small, life clinging part of himself jolted energy into his terror-frozen limbs. Severian sprinted as desperately into the field. Blades of grass tore and tangled around his ankles. Standing water sucked him almost mid-calf into the earth as nature eagerly tried to hold him for his impending captor. 

Why did he think he could do this?

A scream finally erupted from his raspy throat as Seth bounded in front of him. The alpha’s burning royal violet irises cut through the dimness of the night. The beast’s barrel chest heaved deep, growling breaths as Seth righted himself into a towering standing height. 

Severian couldn’t die like this. 

His body fell backwards despite his best efforts, the ground sucked his arms into it’s maw and the grass tangled around him. Rivulets of water blinded him, or he wanted to blame the storm- he had started crying out of desperation long ago. An angered, defeated yowl echoed from his chest. Severian couldn’t find the means to put anything in his mind into words, not that something like Seth would listen anyway. 

At least the air felt nice. 

Seth flinched at the sound, retorting with his own guttural response. The beast was on Severian before he knew that he had even moved. Paralyzing pain bloomed from the back of his neck. Severian was helpless to watch as his once struggling limbs fell to the puddle beneath him. 

The beast’s breath hotly fanned over Sev’s face. Seth had settled over him, with his head in the alpha’s oversized, deformed claws. Still, the cradling was almost reverent. His body lingered over Severian’s, completely sheltering him from the onslaught of the downpour. The purple of his irises was made all the more eerie by the predator-like glow of his pupils in the dim light. 

Severian hated that he was helpless under him, he didn’t have a full grasp of what was going on: or perhaps Seth had just snapped his neck for running. He was still alive, though. Unfortunately- this is no way for a person to be forced to live!

Sev felt himself being lifted. If his dead weight was at all as awkward as he was hoping, Seth didn’t even seem to notice. His noodling neck was supported by a bicep, and his body was curled in close to the beast’s chest. 

Great, now it starts to show remorse for  _ paralyzing _ him.

Severian closed his eyes against the beast. He wished he hadn't frozen out of fear. If he kept running, maybe he would have made it just far enough to hide. 

____________________

“ _ Habibi, Eni. _ ” Seth’s voice lulled in his native tongue. He sounded as if he was no longer shifted, but it terrified Severian to look his captive in the face. This caused Seth to continue in his romantic sounding language. Wet cloth of Severian’s shirt was peeled away from flesh. Chilled air brought goosebumps to the surface, only to be amplified by the fact that Seth proceeded to pull away Severian’s saturated sweatpants. 

If his body could, it would be shivering. Severian wanted to spit accusations at the beast: why was he pretending to be so gentle now? Was he trying to pretty up his body for when he died? Did this freak have some kind of necrophilia complex?

Severian was never going to move again. The thought sank like a stone in his gut. He was going to die in the hands of this… this demon. 

The demon had acquired a thick towel and proceeded to pat him dry. This gentle handling was a complete turn around from the teeth that were literally buried in the nape of his neck minutes before. Seth continued to hum a soothing sound. It was probably the closest thing he’s heard an alpha come to a purr. He was slow, methodical as he studied Severian’s translucent skin for imperfections. Seth lingered over every bruise and darkened scar. His mouth held in a tight line over his persistent fangs.

Pain radiated from Severian’s right knee as Seth took the wounded joint in his palms. He started to hiss under his breath as he used a couple fingers to prod at a particularly sensitive spot. Seth grunted something about stitches as he stood. The sound of his footsteps faded as he circled around and headed towards the hallway. 

Only when Severian was sure that Seth was rummaging through a cabinet on the other side of the house, did he open his eyes. Sev was set on the couch he had seen Seth sleeping on. Even though he was bare naked, he wasn’t set up in an overly exposing position. His right knee had been propped up on a pillow, watery red dripped down his too thin thigh. So, that must be what Seth was talking about “needs to be stitched.”

The alpha didn’t waste time, it seemed, because he was returning with a kit before Severian could take full inventory of himself. The two locked eyes for a moment, dred seeped into the very core of Severian, and Seth froze in his approach. Suddenly, Alpha looked like a kicked puppy by the way his shoulders dropped. 

“ _ Eni _ ,” Seth started, biting his tongue before he could continue. He held up a pitiful grey cloth case, what Severian assumed to be a first aid kit. As if that was all the explanation Seth could conjure, he approached the couch. 

His touch was as gentle as ever. Wide, weapon worn pads of his fingers experimentally pressed against the torn split in Severian’s knee. He murmured apologies as he dabbed away ruby rivers that ran the length of Sev’s leg. Severian hated how helpless he was under the alpha, and how he was pretending to be the good guy now. As thankful as he should have been that Seth was mending him- he couldn’t bring himself to forgive.

Seth had paralized him. How the fuck was he supposed to forgive the man?

Severian felt the needle in his skin as Seth surgically sewn the gash closed. Maybe he had more experience in what he was doing? It didn’t take him very long. Seth was wrapping his work in gause within a few of Severian’s lazy blinks. 

Perhaps Severian just lost time again? Maybe his body was giving out, finally. The fear of death resparked and surged to the front of his thoughts. In the midst of Seth’s gentleness, he had managed to forget his curse for a moment. The curse of being fully paralyzed: he was going to die. 

Seth’s weight moved up higher onto the couch, his warm breath flooding over Severian’s scalp as he pressed a chaste kiss in the center of his forehead. Sev refused to open his eyes, he didn’t want to give the monster the satisfaction of seeing the internal war raging within. 

“ _ Eni. _ ” He breathed as his arms curled around the other’s too thin frame. 

“Don’t pretend to be nice now!” Severian internally hissed, limp as a cooked noodle in his captor’s arms. 

“ _ Come, let’s get you warm before it wears off. _ ” Seth continued to rumble as he smoothly paced back towards the main bedroom: the room Severian was being kept in.

“Wears off? Did you drug me!?” Sev wanted to screech. He couldn't; he had to placidly lie on the bed, and wait to be tucked in. Seth offered a weak smile as he did, straightening only to peel what was left of his now tattered clothes from his skin. He had been soaked by the rain as well. Just, apparently he had completely ignored that until now: Severian still didn’t accept it as an excuse for what he’s done. Doesn’t matter the remorse Seth paints, he’s a con artist!

Seth, even while not shifted, had more muscle on him than what should have been legal. The beast rolled his shoulders which caused the muscles in his back to bulge. Severian wasn’t ogling. No. he was just… 

Okay, he could ogle over someone even if they were a jack-ass. The least Seth could do is make it interesting.

Seth didn’t act like he had any reserves on nudity, considering Sev was staring at the unnecessarily pert roundness of the other’s ass. Seth moved with purpose as he retrieved a pair of sweatpants from a drawer, foregoing a shirt. He turned around half stepping back towards the bed before remembering to put on the pants. Sev’s blood simmered at the sinful sight of the monster.

Why did he have to look like that? Why couldn’t he have just been an asshole, and not a  _ hot _ asshole?

The bed dipped with Seth’s weight. Severian’s body was maneuvered carefully so that he laid flush against the other’s side. His internal rebukes silent and unheeded as his head was cradled on Seth’s shoulder and a supportive weight curled around Severian’s side. He muttered in a blend of english and arabic, an oddly romantic mix. 

Fuck this guy, Severian cursed weakly. Why did he have to smell like warm nutmeg, can’t this guy be revolting at all?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, Thank you for your continued curiosities!  
Rage is for the comments.
> 
> BLACK LIVES MATTER


End file.
